Lodging the application Applications for building, demolition or occupancy permits or for building approval certificates can be submitted in a variety of ways, including in person, by post or electronic lodgement depending on the systems the relevant permit authority has in place. Under the...
Choosing the correct form To provide for consistency in building approvals throughout the state, all the relevant application forms, notices and compliance certificates are approved by the Building Commissioner and available on the Building and Energy website. Providing the correct application form...
In general a person must not carry out building work without a building permit where one is required. However the Building Act allows a person to make an application to the relevant permit authority to approve unauthorised building work in relation to a building and/or incidental structure. This...
Sometimes a building owner or occupier may wish to use the building for a purpose contrary to the approved use or classification of the building detailed on the current occupancy permit. The Building Act sets out the process for obtaining approval for either a change of classification or a change...
The Building Act contains certain provisions requiring prescribed information to be provided to the Fire and Emergency Services (FES) Commissioner. Building surveyor requirements (r. 18B) For certain Class 2 to Class 9 buildings, the building surveyor responsible for signing the certificate of...
The Building Act requires the responsible person (i.e. builder or demolition contractor) to provide certain notices for the completion or suspension of work under a building or demolition permit. Notice of cessation (s. 34) The person named as the builder or demolition contractor on a building or...
As part of its enforcement role, a permit authority can inspect building work and investigate Building Act compliance matters and, where relevant, issue infringement notices, building orders or commence prosecution for non-compliance. There are three types of permit authority: Local government For...
In Western Australia, building work is required to comply with the performance requirements of the Building Code of Australia (the Building Code), which comprises Volumes One and Two of the National Construction Code Series. The Building Code contains specific bush fire construction requirements...
Types of permits and their processes One: Building permit Two: Occupancy permit Three: Building approval certificate Four: Occupancy permit strata Five: Building approval certificate strata Six: Demolition permit One Building permit
Building approvals process page 22 Note: for uncertified applications, the certificate of design compliance is obtained by the relevant permit authority after the application is submitted. Typical building approval sequence – Class 1 and...
While it is reasonable to be concerned about the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, there are a number of actions you can take to look after your mental health during this challenging time. Access...
It is reasonable for workers to experience increased worry, anxiety and stress about the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. Managing the risk to mental health during this time means workers will have...
Safe Work Australia has created an easy to follow infographic to advise workplaces on the steps they should take if a worker comes down with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.
This industry bulletin is intended to alert stakeholders to pending changes to Western Australia’s building legislation which will come into effect when the Strata Titles Act 1985 is amended...
The objective of this policy is to guide members of the Building Services Board (the Board) and Building Commission staff in making appropriate, consistent and legally defensible decisions on the...
The Western Australian strategy and framework for the prevention and management of work-related musculoskeletal disorders are intended as useful resources for stakeholders who can influence...
ThinkSafe is the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s flagship online publication for workplace safety and health in Western Australia. ThinkSafe magazine - July 2022 ThinkSafe...
THIS DOCUMENT IS NO LONGER CURRENT AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES ONLY. The public comment period on the Work Health and Safety Regulations for Western Australia closed on 26...
The Building Services Board has fined Wangara building surveying contractor Constructive Building Consultants Pty Ltd (BSC2033) $2,500 and building surveyor Caillam Walter Bruyn (BSP2164) $1,000 after they signed off on a Toodyay community facility that did not meet construction requirements. In 2016, the Shire of Toodyay received a certificate of construction compliance for the newly built...
Two Perth businesses and their director must pay almost $90,000 in fines and costs following a Building and Energy prosecution for falsely claiming to be authorised to do work that only a registered building contractor can carry out. After a five-day trial in the Perth Magistrates Court, Frayson Pty Ltd and an associated company, Instyle Residence Australia Pty Ltd , were found guilty of separate...
On 30 July 2019, the McGowan Government announced a three-stage plan to improve the bush fire policy framework, including the Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas (the Map). The improvements will reduce the number of residential buildings required to comply with the bush fire construction requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA). Stage One will see a new edition of the Map come into effect on...
Between 1 January 2017 and 28 February 2019, in total 56 regulatory compliance inspections were carried out and 3,209 items of regulatory requirements were inspected. Of these 3,037 or 95% were found to be compliant. The top ten items of non-compliance that require improvement are listed in Table 1 below: Table 1: Top ten items of regulatory compliance that require improvement Item Number...
A Karrinyup builder has been formally cautioned over the roof construction at a $1.1 million home, which did not comply with approved plans and building standards. The Building Services Board found that Mulvay Pty Ltd (BC10975) and its nominated supervisor, Mark Anthony Mulvay (BP9892), breached WA’s building registration laws by not properly managing and supervising a building service. The two-...
Home owners can be reassured that WA’s building regulator is taking action on standards, compliance and dispute resolution across the industry, according to retiring Building Commissioner Ken Bowron. Mr Bowron leaves Building and Energy (formerly the Building Commission and Energy Safety ) today after 10 years, including 18 months at the helm of the combined division within the Department of...
The minimum fees prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Building Regulations 2012 will increase by 7 per cent on 1 July 2019 for the 2019–20 year. A list of the current minimum fees and the new minimum fees is in the table below. This increase in fees is the result of a review undertaken by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety at the request of the Parliament’s Joint Standing...
The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) is conducting a stakeholder satisfaction survey to invite feedback on our services and our role as a regulator. The results will help DMIRS focus on business areas and services that need performance improvements. If you subscribe to a DMIRS email newsletter or subscriber news service, you may be contacted by email and invited to take...
The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme is an Australian government initiative in partnership with state and territory governments. During the past year the WELS team has been engaged in ‘Project New Build’, working to increase the building industry’s compliance through education, engagement and inspections. For information on this project and other important WELS updates...
All three volumes of the National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 previews have been released by The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) and are available to download from NCC online. Further information on the release can be found on the ABCB website. NCC 2019 will be adopted from 1 May 2019 . You are reminded that the Building Regulations 2012 in Western Australia has a 12 months transitional...
